Body of 72-year-old woman found, police believe she was killed

SMITHFIELD — Smithfield police believe they have found the body of a 72-year-old Smithfield woman who was reported missing Thursday, and believe the woman was killed by the son of a friend she had gone to visit.

Smithfield Police Chief Steven Bowman said at a press conference Friday that Naira Davis of the 300 block of Calvary Way drove to visit a friend in 300 block of Lane Crescent around 4 p.m. Thursday. About a half hour later, Bowman said, Davis' husband, Larry, received a call from the friend, concerned because Naira Davis hadn't arrived.

Larry Davis looked around the neighborhood and called family and friends, but could find neither his wife nor her car. He filed a missing person report at 6:40 p.m.

Smithfield police searched the area Thursday night, Bowman said, but found nothing until Davis' husband happened across her car at 8:45 a.m. Friday in the 900 block of Andrews Crossing, just down the street from their house. A window was partially open, Davis' personal effects were still in the car and the keys were in the ignition, Bowman said.

After finding the car, Bowman said, police grew concerned that Davis "had met with foul play" and began a criminal investigation in parallel with the missing persons search.

The Smithfield Police called in the Isle of Wight Sheriff's Department, the Franklin Police Department and the Newport News Police Department to assist with the search. Both police departments brought in canine units and a Nightingale helicopter flew a search grid until Friday's thunderstorm forced it to abandon the search.

But witnesses told police they had seen Davis arrive at the house on Lane Crescent, then saw her friend's son, David Joseph Ricciardi, 49, leave in Davis' car.

At 3 p.m., Smithfield Police obtained an arrest warrant for Ricciardi for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and a search warrant for the house. Bowman said Davis and Ricciardi were familiar, as he had been living at the house with his mother, whom Davis visited often.

Police took Ricciardi into custody shortly before 5 p.m. Friday without incident and searched the house. A Smithfield Police spokesman said officers had been called to the house for incidents previously, but none of the incidents involved violence. They did not know if Ricciardi had any history of mental illness.

Isle of Wight court records do not show any previous charges against Ricciardi.

A home health care provider with Ricciardi's mother told police she believed she had found Davis' body on the premises of the house. The body has been sent to the medical examiner's office for identification.

Bowman would not say where the body was found, but confirmed that the body was found fully clothed. Police do not believe robbery was a motive.

Bowman could not say how Davis died. He said investigators believe a weapon was involved, but said it was not a gun or a knife.

Ricciardi was charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Bowman said he expected Ricciardi to be charged with first-degree murder later Friday night.